A Short-Term Longitudinal Examination of the Relation of Forms of Antipathy Relationships to Children’s Loneliness, Peer Optimism, and Peer Sociability Behaviors

Abstract

Researchers have focused on children’s friendship relationships more than antipathy (disliking) relationships. The present one-year longitudinal research examined the relation of different forms of antipathy nominations (Mutual, Unilateral Given, Unilateral Received) to children’s social competence (self-reports of loneliness and peer optimism, classroom peer nominations for sociability behaviors) for 121 third and fourth graders (fourth and fifth graders in Year 2). From path analyses, the pattern between forms of antipathy relationships to the measures of social competence was identical for concurrent findings at Time 1 and between forms of antipathy relationships and the measures of social competence one year later. Higher numbers of Mutual Antipathies and higher numbers of Unilateral Received Antipathies were related to greater loneliness and fewer peer nominations for sociability behaviors. In addition, higher numbers of Unilateral Received Antipathies were related to less peer optimism. Interestingly, numbers of Unilateral Given Antipathies were not significantly related to any of the social competence measures at Time 1 or one year later. These findings suggest that dislike relationships, whether mutual or unilateral received, may have important negative associations for children’s concurrent and later social competence.

Keywords:

• Antipathy relationships
• unilateral relationships
• social competence
• longitudinal

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The participants of this study did not give written consent for their data to be shared publicly. Therefore, supporting data are not available.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded, in part, by funds from the State of Tennessee to the Center for Applied Psychological Research, Department of Psychology, University of Memphis.

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth R. Yarbrough

Elizabeth Yarbrough is a graduate student in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis, USA. Her research as an undergraduate and graduate student concerns children’s peer relations and focuses on forms of friendship and antipathy relationships. She is nearing completion of the School Psychology M.A./Ed.S. program (estimated graduation: May 2024).

Robert Cohen

Robert Cohen is a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis, USA. His research as a developmental psychologist concerns children’s peer relations and focuses on aggression and victimization (traditional and cyber), forms of friendship and antipathy relationships, and the interplay of culture and development.

Daneen P. Deptula

Daneen P. Deptula is a professor in the Psychological Science Department at Fitchburg State University. Her research centers on children’s peer relationships, including cyber victimization, aggression, and peer optimism.

Glen E. Ray

Glen E. Ray is a professor in the Psychology Department at Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama. His main research interests are different types of children’s close peer relationships, including bully-victim relationships and peer aggression.

Rachel L. Ankney

Rane Ankney is an assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Psychology at the University of Memphis, USA. Their research has focused on methodological best practices for investigating cross-sectional and survey-based research designs including through regression, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling.